The following is a statement from U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige in response to a press release issued yesterday by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus:

"It is regretful and inevitable that, in a campaign year, some groups will go to any length to distort the president's historic education reform. It is more disappointing to learn that such rhetoric should come from Hispanic members of the U.S. House of Representatives because the law specifically aims to help their constituents.

"Hispanic American children have a great deal to gain from the educational reforms of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the historic education reform law that passed Congress with strong bipartisan support, including all members of the Hispanic Caucus. For the first time in the history of public education, the federal government is demanding accountability for the billions of taxpayer dollars that are used to educate our children. Fifty years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision that desegregated schools and gave minorities the same access as their white peers, we finally have a law that goes beyond access and ensures that minority children receive a quality education.

"I will not stand by to lose yet another generation of Hispanic American children to the soft bigotry of low expectations.

"This law is funded at a level to get the job done. Never in the history of our country has the federal government invested so much money in the education of our children.

"President Bush's education budget request for 2005 provides $57.3 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Education. That represents a $1.7 billion increase or 3 percent over the previous year—the largest dollar increase of any domestic agency. Specifically, the budget calls for an additional $1 billion in Title I funding for disadvantaged students, for a total that represents a 52 percent increase since FY 2001. Those are dollars that directly benefit millions of low-income Hispanic children. Overall, since President Bush took office, education has been a clear domestic priority and has received a whopping 35.8 percent increase. That's more in two years than it increased during the eight previous years under President Clinton.

"The president and I have put the priorities where they should be: on programs that work. Programs that have demonstrated results in improving education for all children have been strongly supported by the president and fully funded.

"For example, funding for the education of our nation's five million English language learners has doubled under President Bush. The 2005 budget request provides $681 million to help ensure that English language learners can meet the same high standards as other students. Further, in FY 2004, Hispanic Serving Institutions received $94 million (a 5 percent increase from FY 2003), and the president has proposed another increase to $95.9 million for FY 2005. The budget also provides $394 million for migrant education to help nearly 750,000 children of migrant agricultural workers meet state academic standards.

"The 2005 request also includes $12.9 billion—an $823-million increase—for Pell Grants, to help an estimated 5.3 million students from low-income families pay for their higher education—one million more students than when the president took office.

"Moreover, the president's new budget provides $590 million for adult basic and literacy education. The program supports a stronger focus on building skills in basic reading, mathematics and English acquisition for adults.

"Improving educational opportunities for Hispanics is very important to this administration, as is evidenced by our funding priorities. It is for this reason that I read the caucus's statement with a heavy heart because it does real disservice to the caucus's constituents--Hispanic children, youths and families. It is time to stop the partisan bickering and work together to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Too few Hispanic children read at grade level, let alone stay in school. Now is the time to address this pernicious problem, which is exactly what No Child Left Behind does. I call on members of the Hispanic Caucus to work with us to help transform education in America.

"Perhaps President George W. Bush put it best when he stated, 'This nation of immigrants believes that all children, whatever their circumstances, deserve a chance to learn, and rise, and succeed. This principle has guided my education reforms as we work to raise the standards of public schools across America and bring hope to every classroom, for every child. I mean every child, not just a few, and not just those whose parents may speak English. We want educational excellence para todos que viven en este pais.'"

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